other day, about what I wanted to
do in this way." He plunged into the affair again, and if Cornelia did
not understand it better, it was not for want of explanation. Perhaps
she did not listen very closely. All the time she thought how
brilliantly handsome he was, and how fine, by every worldly criterion.
"Yes," he said, "that is something I have been thinking of ever since
my picture failed with the public; it deserved to fail, and you've made
it so clear why, that I can't refuse to know, or to keep myself in the
dark about it any longer. I don't believe we can take much from the
common stock of life in any way, and find the thing at all real in our
hands, without intending to give something back. Do you?"

Cornelia had never thought about it before; she did not try to pretend
that she had; it seemed a little fantastic to her, but it flattered her
to have him talk to her about it, and she liked his seriousness. He did
not keep up the kind of banter with her that he did with Charmian; he
did not pay her compliments, and she hated compliments from men.

Ludlow went off to speak to Mrs. Westley of something he saw her
looking at; Charmian edged nearer to Cornelia. "I would give the world
to be in your place. I never saw anything like it. Keep on looking just
as you are! It's magnificent. Such color, and that queenly pose of the
head! It would kill those Synthesis girls if they knew how he had been
talking to you. My, if I could get anybody to be serious with _me_!
Talk! Say something! _Do you think its going to rain before we get
home?_ His eyes keep turning this way, all the time; you can't see
them, but they do. _I am glad I brought my umbrella. Have you got your
waterproof?_ I'm going to make you tell me every word he said when he
came to see you yesterday; it'll be mean if you don't. _No, I think I
shall go up by the elevated, and then take the surface-car across._
It's the most romantic thing I ever heard of. _No, I don't believe it
will be dark._ Speak! Say something! You mustn't let me do all the
talking; he'll notice."

Cornelia began to laugh, and Charmian turned away and joined Mrs.
Westley and Ludlow, who were tilting outward some of the canvasses
faced against the wall, and talking them over. Cornelia followed her,
and they all four loitered over the paintings, luxuriously giving a
glance at each, and saying a word or two about it. "Yes," Ludlow said,
"sometimes I used to do three or four of them a day. I w